Nova Scotia Expands E-Waste Program

Nova Scotia Environment Minister, Margaret Miller, says Nova Scotians are national leaders in keeping necessary waste out of landfills and want it to stay that way. Ms Miller says that’s why the province is requiring industry to recycle more products. Industry must be ready with programs by 1 January 2020.

Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) Nova Scotia manages a government-approved program to collect and responsibly recycle electronic waste. EPRA Nova Scotia will expand its program to recycle the new products. 

Since 2008, TVs, computers, laptops and notebooks with CPUs, keyboards, mouse, cables, monitors and printers have been in scope of the Solid Waste-Resource Management Regulation. In 2009, the scope was increased to include scanners, audio and video playback and recording systems, telephones, fax machines, and handheld wireless devices including cell phones.

Now, from 1 January 2020, a new range of e-waste products will fall in scope of the Solid Waste-Resource Management Regulation. In addition to the industry recycling programs, from 1 March 2020, the following products will be banned from landfills in Nova Scotia:

·        microwaves

·        e-book readers

·        GPS devices

·        video game systems and controllers

·        external hard drives, optical drives, and modems

Used oil, oil filters, and oil containers, glycol, which is a coolant, and glycol containers are also banned from landfills, effective 1 March 2020. 

If you are a producer placing any of the above electrical and electronic products onto the market in Nova Scotia, you will need to ensure that you are part of a product management program approved by the Government of Nova Scotia. Companies selling regulated electronic products can meet their obligations by joining the EPRA Nova Scotia Program. If you are already a member of EPRA Nova Scotia, and you place any of the new products in scope from the list above onto the market, you will need to start reporting sales of these products to EPRA from 1 March 2020.

EC4P can identify whether you are obligated under the Solid Waste-Resource Management Regulation based on the types of products you sell and your sales arrangements in this province. If you require assistance with meeting the e-waste requirements in Nova Scotia, please contact us.